FBI to interview Trump after shooting at campaign rally

Former President Trump has agreed to sit with the FBI for an interview following the July 13 shooting at one of his campaign rallies, the agency said Monday.

During a Monday briefing, the bureau said Trump would sit for a “standard victim interview” about the shooting, something it called consistent with practices for any crime they investigate.

Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, said they wanted to get Trump’s perspective on anything he observed, “just like any other witness to the crime.”

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

The FBI also shared new details about its investigation into shooter Thomas Mathew Crooks, who in addition to piercing Trump’s ear, killed a rally attendee and wounded two others when he opened fire at the Butler, Pa., campaign event.

Ahead of the shooting, Crooks researched the failed assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico this year in addition to researching mass shooting events, explosive devices and power plants.

FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers last week that Crooks also researched how far away John F. Kennedy’s assassin was when he shot the president.

The FBI said Monday that through 450 interviews, it has developed a portrait of Crooks as “highly intelligent” but someone whose social circle was limited to their family.

“While the FBI investigation may not yet have determined a motive, we believe the subject made significant efforts to conceal his activities,” Rojek told reporters.

“Additionally, we believe his actions also show careful planning ahead of the campaign rally.”

The FBI said Crooks used aliases to purchase different firearm-related items as well as the chemical and explosive components used to make the explosive devices that were found in his car.

Updated at 12:19 p.m. ET

Brett Samuels and The Associated Press contributed.